#she is the sag-aftra president now

[themakeupbrush]

Just a reminder: Fran has always been pro-union

[iww-gnv]

As of Thursday, Hollywood is officially closed for business. The national board of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or SAG-AFTRA, “unanimously voted to issue a strike order against the studios and streamers,” the guild announced at a news conference Thursday afternoon. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher stressed that what’s happening in the entertainment industry is happening across labor, calling it the result of “when employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run.” She added that she was “shocked by the way that the people we have been in business with are treating us” and that the studios and streamers can’t “change the business model as much as it has changed and not expect the contract to change, too.”

[romanovthinkver]

bro tf leave her alone, she can't talk about her politics sides, you are the disappointment since you don't understand the situation

i understand more situations than you do apparently, i talk and i say whatever i want. if you don’t wanna see my opinion leave my blog, nobody is telling you to stay.

this isn’t political, babies are being beheaded, people are being burnt alive, there’s a genocide going on for more than 70 years. it’s an holocaust. this is standing for basic human rights and with her powers (like she did with Open AI or the SAG - AFTRA strike ) she can raise tons of helps. she managed to bring to her side the president and tons of politicians, celebrities and other people. do you even realise how she could be impactful even without donating a single dollar? and imagine if she donates too, she could make a difference, like she always does. not a week ago she donated 2M$ for women cancer.

political is talking about a law or what major she voted for the city, but here it’s not political no matter where you came from or your roots. people are speaking up and nobody is losing shit. she will certainly not loose her jobs (she’s more far than that, people wants her more than she wants some movies), she won’t lose fame, money or her dignity despite being that religion and you know why? because if you are a believer any god would not let any human cut kids heads or burn people alive for a damn piece of land.

i did a lot of history exams and i can assure you that knowledge like this can be equally found in books or opening the phone ad be educated in 3 minutes, but, again, you don’t need education to stand for basic human rights. that’s an ass excuse.

maybe you guys are a disappointment because we are a big community and none of you is speaking to call her out because you are protecting her, putting her into a pedestal and a jar glass like she’s not the most wealthy woman and doesn’t live in privilege. the world doesn’t work this way, we allowed to work like this and that’s not okay. she always talk about important matters, i don’t see the problems now. (she spoke about lots of campaigns exposing herself but that wasn’t political, it’s standing for human rights, she can do it again).

[fans4wga]

'Hollywood Is on Strike Against High-Tech Exploitation' - by Alex N. Press

"LOS ANGELES — Before she appeared on HBO’s White House Plumbers and Fox’s New Girl, Stevie Nelson hosted a television show on Nickelodeon. On Crashletes, she and her cohosts, along with an audience of kids, reacted to viral videos of people failing at sports. The production ran for three seasons, wrapping at the end of 2020 with a total of sixty episodes.

Nelson worries that soon, a studio could use that body of work to train artificial intelligence (AI) to create a likeness of her to be used in perpetuity: a digital Stevie Nelson, doing things that she has never done, saying things that she has never said, yet indistinguishable from the real Stevie Nelson, based on her past on-screen work.

“There’s enough footage of me that they could technically have me host other shows for the rest of my life without ever having done it, and I’m sure I would not be fairly compensated for it,” said Nelson. “The idea of not a real person hosting shows is scary. The magic of acting, and of hosting, is its impromptu nature. I can’t imagine how soulless it all would be to replace it with AI.”

Nelson and I were speaking on Monday, July 17, a few feet from the picket line outside of Netflix’s corporate office in Los Angeles. She’s a member of the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), one of 160,000 such members who were then on their second day of a nationwide strike. In walking out, the performers joined roughly 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who have been on strike since May 2. The last such double strike was in 1960, when Ronald Reagan was SAG’s president.

Unlike less accessible studios in the Los Angeles area — the standout being NBC Universal, which currently lacks pedestrian walkways and shade thanks to studio machinations — Netflix is in the heart of Hollywood. On Monday, morale was high: hundreds of union members picketed while music that sampled news coverage of the strike blasted from stereos and union staff supplied workers with beverages, snacks, and sunscreen as the temperatures soared above 90 degrees.

Nelson’s fears that an avatar of herself will host television shows indefinitely in a digital purgatory might sound far-fetched, an idea more fit for a Black Mirror script than the real world, but such a possibility is central to what is now the largest strike in the United States. In negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for a new three-year TV/theatrical contract, SAG-AFTRA is seeking to regulate the use of AI to protect performers like her.

Writers want to regulate the usage of AI in their own negotiations with the studios, but the technology poses an even more immediate threat to performers. SAG-AFTRA proposed provisions that would require the studios to get informed consent from a performer before using her likeness and fairly compensate her for that use. They also offered proposals concerning the use of generative AI for training purposes.

The AMPTP didn’t agree. While the organization called its AI counterproposal “unprecedented,” SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland characterized the studios’ offer as unacceptable.

“In this ‘groundbreaking’ AI proposal that they gave us yesterday, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get one day’s pay, and their companies should own that scan, their image, their likeness, and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity on any project they want, with no consent and no compensation,” said Crabtree-Ireland at a press conference on Friday, July 15, announcing that the union’s board of directors had voted unanimously to call a strike. “If you think that’s a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again.”

“The companies have responded to a number of the proposals we put on the table, but the problem is that the devil is in the details,” explained Crabtree-Ireland on The Town, a podcast about the entertainment industry. “We had reached some agreement on there being a requirement for consent but from our point of view, it has to be informed consent. Consent is not a boilerplate provision at the time you’re first hired on a project that says, ‘The company can create a digital replica of you and use it for whatever purpose they want, forever.’”

[continue reading]

[nothingunrealistic]

The concluding season of “Billions” is a case of “Axe” and you shall receive.

One of the series’ most prominent characters returns as the drama set in the upper levels of New York law and finance begins its seventh and final season Friday streaming on Paramount+ With Showtime, and Sunday on the linear Showtime channel. (Subsequent weekly episodes will maintain that release pattern.)

A good amount of the show’s history is incorporated into its victory lap, a particularly notable aspect being the return of founding cast member Damian Lewis as Bobby “Axe” Axelrod, the former hedge fund king who relocated to Europe to avoid a prison term engineered by his longtime nemesis, federal attorney Charles “Chuck” Rhoades Jr. (Paul Giamatti).

With the empire that Axe built now under the control of tycoon Michael Prince (Corey Stoll), who has designs on winning the U.S. presidency, changes are looming … something that “Billions” is known for, which included Lewis’ exit at the end of Season 5 and Stoll’s promotion to full series regular. Still very much rooted in the flow of the saga is Maggie Siff (“Sons of Anarchy”) as psychiatrist Wendy Rhoades, who has stayed on as performance coach at the company, despite the misgivings she has about Prince.

Wendy continues to have a confidant for her concerns in Mike “Wags” Wagner (David Costabile), Axe’s former deputy who also remains on Prince’s staff. Still present as well is Taylor Mason (Asia Kate Dillon), the non-binary financial wizard who often posed a major challenge for Axe, and whose skills also have been retained by Prince.

Siff has spent the past month starring in an Off-Broadway staging of Tennessee Williams’ “Orpheus Descending,” which she terms “quite a swerve” from the “Billions” work that she finished recently. Despite the writers’ strike, the show was able to complete its last season, and Siff allows that it was “a labored process. Everybody wanted to be respectful and honor picket lines, and it was really a matter of taking it day by day for the final month, but we finished it.” (Note: This interview took place before the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike.)

The coda that “Billions” puts on Wendy’s story satisfies Siff: “There’s always been this thing of her being caught between two forces: Chuck and Axe. I think the beautiful thing about Michael Prince coming in, and the time she really was given to be with herself, it allowed her to carve a different kind of path. I do feel really good about where she’s able to end, and I’ll just say that I think Wendy (ends up) sort of her own person … truly independent of all of the forces she’s been knocked around by, despite her best efforts.”

Created by executive producers Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Andrew Ross Sorkin, “Billions” is scheduled to have several spinoffs: “Billions: Miami,” “Millions” and “Trillions.” After being a regular on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy” previously, Siff isn’t necessarily looking to jump into another series, though the right material could alter that thinking (“I just don’t know how to answer that right now,” she says). However, she has confidence that the makers of “Billions” know what they’re doing in expanding that concept’s universe.

“I think Brian and Dave could spin this thing many, many different ways if they want to,” she says. “There’s certainly lots of story to tell, and there are great characters who can come back or circle through. (‘Billions’) has carved out a niche and a style, and it’s got such a good, smart spirit. And there’s a lot of room in our culture to be talking about finance and money, and what people are doing with it, and what it looks like from the inside. I think they could spin this off as much as they want. It’s just a question of how much of an appetite they have for it.”

[gacmediadaily]

Danica McKellar has taken a step away from Los Angeles, but not her career.

The "Wonder Years" star moved to Tennessee a year ago, and the change of scenery has been refreshing. 

"Tennessee is a total quality of life improvement. It’s gorgeous, I love the seasons," McKellar told Fox News Digital. 

Danica McKellar told Fox News Digital her move to Tennessee is "a total quality of life improvement." (Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images)

"Maybe it’s some sort of honeymoon period. I’ve been there about a year now, but I love all the seasons."

McKellar has also continued her journey with faith, a newer addition to her life that coincided with her move to Tennessee.

"I would not say I’ve embraced religion so much as relationship. I’ve found my faith, and it’s been an amazing life changer," she said. "I have this sense that everything’s going to be fine in a way that I never really had before."

McKellar said her newfound faith has been "an amazing life changer." (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)

"I am so grateful to Candace Cameron Bure for bringing me into this era of my life. She really had a lot to do with it," McKellar said. "Also my dad. He’s been a believer for a long time.

"It’s just been a beautiful, beautiful gift, and it feels so good, and I want everyone to have that feeling." 

McKellar’s also continuing her work in TV and film.

"I am just as busy in Tennessee as I was in Los Angeles because so much of everything that I do is virtual, online, preparing for projects," she explained. "I shoot my movies mostly in Canada. But I like to say that my view out the window is a lot prettier. And when I have to drive some place, it’s just a gorgeous drive."

The 48-year-old’s latest project, "Swing into Romance," premieres Saturday on Great American Family and gave her a chance to hit the dance floor again after appearing on season 18 of "Dancing with the Stars."

"‘Swing into Romance’ has three full-on ‘Dancing with the Stars’-level swing jive routines. It’s no joke," McKellar shared. 

"I rehearsed a ton. I took a lot of ice baths, also reminiscent of my time on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Something I learned, if you don’t want to hurt, then you take an ice bath after you dance. It’s unpleasant but it’s worth it."

Danica McKellar placed sixth during her season of "Dancing with the Stars" with partner Val Chmerkovskiy. (Adam Taylor/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

McKellar was partnered with "DWTS" pro Val Chmerkovskiy and finished in sixth place during her season. The experience got her hooked on dance, and she said she "kept taking lessons after that because I just loved it so much."

The actress was able to discuss the movie thanks to an interim agreement through SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union still on strike, and the production company that produced "Swing into Romance."

"It's so great because I've been dying to talk about it," McKellar said. "I'm so grateful to Fran Drescher, our SAG-AFTRA president, for making these interim agreements possible.

"I’ve heard her say these interim agreements are part of her strategy for getting the big networks on board, so I’m so excited that me promoting my movie actually supports her efforts, and I’m really praying for a quick resolution at this point. I know it’s been a long time, I know a lot of people are out of work, and I’m really hopeful and I’m so grateful for all her efforts."

The movie also stars "DWTS" pro Gleb Savchenko, who is partnered with Oscar winner Mira Sorvino on the current season, and McKellar dropped by this week’s taping to cheer them on. 

"'Dancing With the Stars' is one of the craziest, most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. And I haven’t been back here in years. It’s really exciting to be back. I cannot wait to see everyone dance," she said.

"But that all prepared me for working with Gleb. And a few times, he said, ‘Hey I have to thank Val for preparing you so well because you still got it.’"

Savcehnko, in his first acting role, plays the ex-fiancé and ex-dance partner of McKellar’s character, and the two worked closely to prepare each other for the movie.

"I have to say, this was his first acting job, and he did amazing," McKellar said. "It was really fun because I got to coach him in acting. So, he was coaching me in dance, and I was coaching him in acting, and you’d never know it was his first movie. He did a fantastic job playing my ex-fiancé and ex-dance partner, and I can’t wait for you guys to see the movie."

Savchenko told Fox News Digital his character was "this Russian superhero in dance" and joked that, in his scenes, he has a "Russian ‘Terminator’ accent," a nod to his actual Russian roots. 

"It was incredible," he added. "I enjoyed every moment, every day, being on set. I came on set even when they were not my days to shoot just to learn. I was behind the scenes, I had earphones on just to listen and see the monitor, what they were doing how they were acting. It was almost like this month of an acting job was an acting boot camp for me.

"But, at the same time, I had a chance to train Danica and dance with her. And we had a lot of fun doing this, and she is so into dance."

"Swing into Romance" premieres on Great American Family Saturday, Oct. 7.

[safcom123]

Fran Drescher On SAG-AFTRA Deal, Negotiations – The Hollywood Reporter

With the SAG-AFTRA strike in the rearview, Fran Drescher will soon have more time on her hands to consider career moves outside of union negotiations. But she knows for sure one job she doesn’t want. “Meryl Streep said to me, ‘This is great, now go run for president,’ ” the president of Hollywood’s largest union laughs over the phone on Thursday afternoon, just one day after the union’s…

[newagesispage]

                                                                    OCTOBER           2023 

THE RIB PAGE 

The Wall Street Journal has proclaimed the economy is great!! This country is doing better than expected, at least until the republican shutdown takes us down. Why are we so disapproving when inflation is down and jobs are plentiful?? 

***** 

Dream Scenario is the new Nick Cage film with Tim Meadows, Julianne Nicholson and Michael Cera. There is already buzz!! 

***** 

Shawn Fain, President of the UAW was treated a bit snarky by Margret Brennan on Face the Nation. 

***** 

We need to be looking at more privacy in the new cars coming off the line. They are loading them with privacy invaders. ** About 5% of the price of a car is labor. During the bailout, workers gave up their cost- of- living increases. It is time to make that right now that the auto makers are doing better. 

***** 

Chuck Todd left Meet the Press and was replaced with Kristen Welker. * * Hey.. CBS Sunday morning: You have always been pretty diverse, but it seems most of your guests anymore are old white people. What gives? 

***** 

Marty Baron has a new book: Collision of Power about Bezos and the Washington Post. 

***** 

Michelle Dockery has wed Jasper Waller- Bridge. 

***** 

It seems that Usher will take the halftime show at Super Bowl LVIII 

***** 

Days alert: Oh, this Victor has another son story is a great idea. We all knew there was another. ** Kassie DePaiva was on the other day. It was great to see her again. She is also bringing Blair (OLTL)to General Hospital! **I love the Donovan family being back. I wish they could stay!! C’mon Patsy Pease!!!! ** Where does Kate keep all her clothes at the pub?? She must have a storage unit nearby. 

***** 

Smuckers is buying Hostess. 

***** 

Check out the Peoria Fight Club: Guns down Gloves up 

***** 

Rudy Giuliani has been sued by his lawyer and he is not paying the legal fees he owes to Ruby Freeman. 

***** 

The republicans are debating. The other top 7 candidates poll at about 35% all together, same as Trump by himself. ** Trump has called for the execution of Gen. Mark Milley. Milley made a speech a few days later calling out wanna- be dictators.  

***** 

I am shocked but at the last minute we have a stop gap for 45 days to avoid the Government shutdown. There is nothing about Ukraine in there. At least the military and Federal employees will get paid. It was ridic that the reps for about 2% of the country were holding us hostage. Those same people are actively trying to take him down. Word is that Matt Gaetz and Kevin McCarthy can’t stand each other. ** I don’t remember the journalist but they mentioned Mitch McConnell and his senior moments as it looking like his soul was leaving his body or that he was buffering.  

***** 

Lachlan Murdoch is the sole chairman of News Corp. 

***** 

Aerosmith has postponed their farewell tour until 2024. The Peace Out Tour with openers, The Black Crowes will wait for Steven Tyler to mend. The singer has vocal cord damage and a fractured larynx. 

***** 

Chris Bell and Carson Hocevar are really kicking ass in Nascar. I bet one of them will take the whole prize within a season or two. 

***** 

Gary Busey, now admitted to hitting a woman’s car in a parking lot. She chased him down as he wasn’t so forth coming on the day but now agrees it was him. 

***** 

The Exorcist is back with Believer. ** William Friedkin’s final film is Showtime, about the Caine Mutiny court martial. 

***** 

After much backlash, Drew Barrymore put her show on hold. ** The writers have reached a provisional deal so some shows will start coming back. SAG-AFTRA is still on strike. ** Bill Maher was going to come back early but changed his mind. He officially came back Sept. 29 with Ron DeSantis.  

***** 

Burning Man turned into a giant, dangerous mud pit. There were 2 months of rain in 2 days. People were trapped in the middle of the desert and it could take 6 hours to drive out. Yikes! Large gatherings seem more and more a bad idea.  

***** 

The Strand has published ‘Another day in Paradise’ by Truman Capote. The recently found handwritten short story from the 50’s is about a woman in Sicily. ** Next up is Feud: Capote vs. The Swans from Ryann Murphy! 

***** 

Duane Davis has been arrested in connection with the death of Tupac Shakur in 1996. 

***** 

Jann Wenner has a new book ,The Masters of Rock. In a NY Time interview, he was asked why he chose all the white guys and that he could have included a black or female musician for the book. He answered, “The people had to meet a couple criteria, but it was just kind of my personal interest and love of them. Inso far as the women, just none of them were as articulate enough on this intellectual level.” The Rock and Roll Hall of fame has announced his removal from their board of directors. Cyndi Lauper commented, “He’s a little senile.” ** Favre? Santana? Chappelle? Maher? Wenner? What happens? 

***** 

New Jersey Senator Robert Menedez has been indicted for allegedly accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. 

***** 

A trailer for a show for Tucker Carlson was seen on state run Russiya 24. 

***** 

Will Pauly Shore play Richard Simmons in the movie of his life? 

***** 

There is a new character in the Pooh universe, a little female pup named Carmen. 

***** 

Four months ago, Oscar Mayer renamed the hot dog truck the Frankmobile to celebrate the new recipe for beef franks. People did not like that, so it is the Weinermobile once again. 

***** 

Get out and give someone else a chance.- Harry Truman and Igor 

***** 

Elon Musk seems to have a burr under his saddle about the Anti- Defamation league. ** And why is the government giving this man so much power and money??**His friend, Bill Maher was also worked up but about the writer’s strike. Maher also seems to be in conflict with Howard Stern. 

***** 

Sexual assault news: Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for rape. His friends, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis and about 50 others wrote letters to the judge for leniency. Kutcher has now resigned from Thorn, an anti-child sex abuse organization that he co-founded with Demi Moore.** Rumors have now come to the surface for Russell Brand. He denies the stories of Rape, emotional abuse and sexual assault. 

***** 

N’Sync reunited at the VMA’s. They won’t tour but have a new recording for the first time in 10 years. 

***** 

The new cast of Dancing with the Stars is: Barry Williams, Mira Sorvino, Adrian Peterson, Jamie Lynn Spears, Tyson Beckford, Alyson Hannagan and Matt Walsh. 

***** 

A recent fossil find may be the missing link between birds and dinosaurs. Fujianvenator Prodigious is estimated to be 30 million years older than any confirmed bird fossil. 

***** 

Will Tommy Tubberville ever care about the military members and their families that he is cheating out of promotions? There are about 300 military promotions just waiting. Tubberville is endangering the welfare of this country. Don’t use abortion as an excuse. 

***** 

Wilbert Boyce, the last shoe shiner in Savannah, Ga. Has retired. 

***** 

The re- do of the Wonder Years was cancelled. That was a great show! Dule’ Hill is a dream! 

***** 

Joe Hagan has a new article: Robert Kennedy Jr’s mad mad mad mad world. It would appear that Kennedy is pretty hostile to all. Is he all conspiracies and mental illness?? Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon love him. What else is there to know? 

*****i 

Matt Gaetz had a bit of a melt- down as he pushed to begin impeachment inquiries into Joe Biden. There is absolutely no evidence of wrongdoing, no financial gain. Will Kevin McCarthy lose his seat or be the puppet of his MAGA co-horts? He has promised so much to so many. The house is wasting everyone’s time. The Senate won’t support their nonsense as we wait for the rebels to do some real business.** Hunter Biden has been indicted for guns. Isn’t it funny that the republicans are pushing this gun thing when they seem to want to give guns to everyone else, just not Hunter Biden? Their own laws are making it hard to charge him. And, why do we want to zero in on the President’s children? They used to be off limits. UGH! 

***** 

R.I.P. Richard Davis, Bill Pinkney, Franne Lee, Marrakesh earthquake victims, Gary Wright, Jimmy Buffet, Robert Klane, Bill Richardson, Fernando Botero, Eva Fahidi, Dianne Feinstein, David McCallum, Michael Mcgrath, Billy Miller, Sir Michael Gambon, Terry Kirkman Larry Chance and David Sheckler. 

[themovieblogonline]

Among A Dozen Stars Including George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Dwayne The Rock Johnson Donate MILLIONS To SAG-AFTRA

The president of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Courtney B. Vance, announced on Wednesday that the organization was raising donations. Vance had stated about this fundraising and its efforts over the last few weeks. "The entertainment industry is in crisis, and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation is currently processing more than 30 times our usual number of applications for emergency aid. We received 400 applications in the last week alone," she had said in a statement adding to which she called it a massive challenge and addressed her determination to meet that moment.  He also said that the entertainment industry was amid an ongoing crisis and the SAG-AFTRA foundation is currently processing more than 30 times our usual number of applications for emergency aid. We received 400 applications in the last week alone. They had succeeded in raising more than 15 million dollars for their emergency financial assistance program, most of it for which the president had thanked Hollywood's most successful and top-earning celebrities. They had donated in large amounts reaching 1 million dollars or more to the nonprofit. Courtney B. Vance also mentioned how the response to help from their fellow performers had been incredible, immediate, and heartwarming. Variety had exclusively reported last week how Dwayne The Rock Johnson had contributed with a historic seven-figure donation to which Vance responded to "a call for arms."  This made her make everyone want to step up however they could. However, he was not the only one. Other A-lister celebrities like George Clooney, Luciana, Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, and many more had all donated at least a million dollars or more to the nonprofit organization. Receiving this heartwarming response, Vance had given a response to the contributions of these Hollywood stars. She stated, "I appealed to our community to remember how tough it was coming up, and the response to help their fellow performers has been incredible, immediate, and heartwarming." The president of the Foundation also gave praise to Johnson and applauded the efforts of everyone else, stating, "We've crushed our initial goal because our people are coming together, but we still aren't done. Our fundraising will continue to meet our community's overwhelming needs now and in the future." Read the full article

[thefirsthogokage]

Los Angeles SAG-AFTRA Vice President, Michelle Hurd, Says They Aren't Calling for a Boycott of Streamers Yet

“I’m not going to say, you know, cancel those streaming platforms yet,” she added. “Maybe there will be a rallying cry. And you know what, if there’s a time where we feel that it’s time for us all to take a step back and stop watching, we will let them know. And if that happens, I really do hope people follow us.”

It does quote her earlier in the article that it's up to the individual, but that SAG-AFTRA isn't calling for that yet. As I have stated elsewhere, others have indicated that it would be better if people cancel at the behest of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA so it's organized, and the executives would know WHY people were cancelling and HOW MANY people were doing so from the "rallying cry."

This article caught Andy Richter's message too:

“Unless the unions come out and call for that, though, please don’t,” he said. “Cancelling streaming services feeds their assertion that streaming is inherently volatile and risky, and that is why they should be able to hire fewer of us and pay us less.”

For if and when a subscription cancellation is called for, or if you have an extra couple of bucks you can donate:

...Michael Gaston, a star and actor in such shows as “Prison Break,” “Jericho” and “The Sopranos,” had a suggestion for the money that people would save if and when a streamer boycott was undertaken.

“Take some of that money, if you’re saving on your subscriptions, take some of that money and give it to some of the charities that are helping out the artists,” said Gaston, who was also picketing Monday in New York and spoke to TheWrap. “There’s something called the Actors Fund. It is now referred to as A Life in the Arts. You can find it on Instagram, they will distribute your donations to people who are going to be most hurt by this strike action.”

Do not boycott yet.

Let the WGA and SAG-AFTRA keep our numbers in their back pocket as leverage. Please.

[iww-gnv]

LOS ANGELES − No one knows exactly how long the actors union will strike, but its president, Fran Drescher, says they are looking to the long game. "Right now, we discussed what it would cost if it went for six months, so we're looking for the long haul," says Drescher, the SAG-AFTRA president and star of the hit '90s sitcom "The Nanny" "The gravity of a commitment like this is not lost on any of us. It's major. But we also see that we have no future and no livelihood unless we take this action, unfortunately." While on strike, members will go without much work and pay they would have gotten otherwise. Drescher said over 90% of the union voted to authorize the strike, and told USA TODAY that actors are prepared to make personal sacrifices for a greater good. At a heated press conference at the union's office in Los Angeles Thursday afternoon, she gave an impassioned speech announcing the actors union's decision to strike starting Friday, following a stalemate in negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), an organization representing major studios and streamers.

[jasonstuart]

Jason Stuart Proud SAG AFTRA Member

At the opening night of Outfest last night in downtown LA. A beautiful event and I was thrilled to be there representing the #sagaftralgbtqcommittee and my series Smothered. It was a night of joy and and sorrow for me. As a longtime SAG-AFTRA member (since 77) learning we are now on strike as of midnight last night. Earlier I heard our president Fran Drescher speak to the press and was so moved by her passion & honesty. She spoke like a sister from my neighborhood of actors sharing the ugly truth about our industry and how we get paid, straight from her heart. It really touched me ...and then I thought to myself, she's talking about me. And so many of my fellow journeymen actors piers. Get ready everyone this we are gonna be a bumpy night! ... for all my actor brother and sisters.

Photos with fellow actors Brian Michael Smith from 9-1-1: Lone Star, my #bff Dalila Ali Rajah and Brad Carter #lgbtqia

[drskuter]

I'm sick of it

I'm so over "moments of silence," and "thoughts and prayers," and politicians, pundits, and other loudmouths bloviating about gun rights.

I'm just OVER IT.

What will it take for our state and federal politicians to realize that there's absolutely no modicum of sense in allowing private citizens to own assault rifles? Of course I don't wish tragedy on anyone at any time. But, what if a key member of Congress's family was put in harm's way due to some nut job having access to a gun that he/she has no absolutely business carrying?

What will it take for people to understand that the Second Amendment to our Constitution served a good purpose ... back when the Constitution was created and when the United States did not have a formal militia? When we had no choice but to fend for ourselves? When we didn't have formalized law enforcement to patrol our streets and protect our livelihoods?

Let me be clear: I have many, MANY friends who are law-abiding gun owners. I have absolutely no problem - ZERO, ZIP, NADA - with citizens having small firearms on hand for self protection in their home. After background checks. After mandated gun safety training. After some sort of certification. After ensuring that their ownership and possession of a weapon will not be a risk to themselves or others.

But no one ... NOT ONE PRIVATE CITIZEN ... needs an AR15 "just because." That is utter bullshit.

I wish I had the guts to run for political office on this particular platform. But I can read the room and I am quite sure I'd be laughed off the stage at my first debate.

But the one thing I make sure to do now is to NOT vote for any politician who has received any sort of campaign donation from the NRA. Even my grandfather, who knew Charlton Heston - that gun toting, "out of my cold dead hands" NRA poster child - back in the SAG-AFTRA days refused to vote for Heston for President of SAG. My grandfather recognized a whacko when he saw one.

[glopforshort-deactivated202809]

holy shit. the amount of tiptoeing she has to do here to avoid *breaking the law* with what she says is unbelievable. I remember seeing a post the other day about how rich it is that people will criticize china as "undemocratic" but then point to the uk, which doesn't even have a constitution (among many many other issues), as a good example of democracy. I'm reminded of that now in the way that people will say "china doesn't have free speech" but here you can see an actress struggle to say anything other than "I am not a member of sag-aftra" because otherwise she would be arrested for encouraging striking. Truly, president xi, these people yearn for freedom.

Are you affected by the SAG-AFTRA strike?

Please understand, there are very strict laws in the UK governing who can talk publicly about certain strikes and what they can say

I talked about this on my latest livestream, starting at 15:40

[gra-sonas]

If you remember the reveal on Grey's Anatomy that Dr. Sam Bello was a DACA recipient or Mateo's surprising backstory of being an undocumented Filipino immigrant on Superstore, you've seen a storyline that Define American has consulted on. The nonprofit, which focuses on immigrant narratives, is currently working to improve diverse storylines on television. While folks in the industry are working toward creating opportunities for diversity in front of and behind the camera, it's equally important that the narratives told reflect our world. In fact, Define American is just one of the many organizations doing the on-the-ground work to bring more accurate voices and lived experiences to the small screen.

On Roswell, New Mexico's second season, Define American worked with the team on nuanced storylines involving the complexities of seeking healthcare while undocumented and a harrowing experience involving ICE agents. 

"We'll typically bring in several people with 'lived experience' with us," said Noelle S. Lindsay-Stewart, head of entertainment partnerships and advocacy at Define American. "It's important that whoever comes into those rooms has agency over their own stories and what they decide to share." Initial meetings with writers' rooms typically include an "Immigration 101" overview focusing on the types of misguided narratives that have historically been seen — both the hypercriminalized ones and the "worthy immigrant" (that is, the trope of arguing that a specific immigrant "deserves" good treatment because they're so smart/good/useful) narratives.

"The goal is to help writers tell these stories in all their complexities, without vilifying or sanctifying."               

Fiction is crucial for educating audiences about stories they might not hear about — or might have misconceptions about — in the real world. Between the person-to-person connections and the resources the organization provides, the goal is to help writers tell these stories in all their complexities, without vilifying or sanctifying. For example, Roswell features an ongoing storyline about a Latinx family of mixed immigration status: father Arturo is undocumented, while daughters Rosa (Amber Midthunder) and Liz (Jeanine Mason) are American citizens by birthright.

"I feel a sense of relief," Mason said of having Define American consult. "I could feel confident we had all the resources to do best by this story," noting that she had previously worked with the organization on Grey's, where the storyline was "more about the subtleties of the legalities." As DACA recipient Sam, she had to explain on screen, for instance, that the "green card marriage" trope wouldn't work in that situation. As Liz, immigration colors a protagonist's storyline.

"I'm first generation, but my family's Cuban, so our immigrant experience is vastly different than the one people are experiencing right now. My parents were welcomed as asylum-seekers, my siblings and I all call ourselves Cuban-Americans . . . but there was never any doubt this was our home. Liz's experience is so contrary; there's such a pressure to be so quiet and delicate."

During a pivotal scene on Roswell: New Mexico, ICE agents who have been harassing Arturo throughout a health scare turn up at the Ortechos' diner. Liz is able to use the privilege she does have (as an American citizen) to push back in a way her father can't — which Mason points out is something we all can do: use what privileges we have to stand up for each other.

"It's only when [the agent] oversteps that she feels a need to check him, and that's her own privilege," Mason said. "It was satisfying to get to be disorderly for a second . . . to get to say the truth and claim back a little power from someone accustomed to mowing me and my family down."

When the show does venture into stories that seem familiar, Mason pointed out, it still works to add nuance. The character of Rosa, for instance, is a recovering addict, but, in context, it's just one part of representation.

"Rather than [being] taboo or for shock value, we approach it as something that can further a conversation," Mason said. "We have Liz, who's a scientist, and Kyle [played by Michael Trevino, a Mexican-American actor], who's a doctor, the two of them being Latinx best friends from childhood, top of their game, and it's not gawked at, it's just a simple truth. The beautiful thing about Rosa is that so much of the work we have to do is understanding this [addiction] can happen to anyone. To not ostracize it but to understand that talking about mental health is so taboo within our community . . . It was a really necessary conversation to have."

Immigration isn't the only issue being represented with more nuance on primetime TV today, thanks to the work of nonprofits. Planned Parenthood, for instance, has worked since 2016 to assist shows with depicting abortions.

"Nonprofits like these are crucial to helping writers tell stories that reflect the full spectrum of human experiences — and, in turn, helping audiences discover new ideas they might not otherwise encounter."

"Over 50 percent of people actually believe that the health care information they see on TV and film is accurate," Alencia Johnson, director of public engagement at Planned Parenthood, told Yes! in 2019. "Therefore, we need to make sure that abortion storylines — storylines about sexuality, love, relationships, birth control, whatever it may be — related to gender and reproductive rights are accurate."

Consulting on long-running shows isn't the only way nonprofits are working to redefine narratives in Hollywood, though. Define American is developing its own original content, often in partnership with established producers and networks, in order to help fill in the gaps of untold stories.

"We match the mandate the network is looking for to our message," explained DJ Reed, Define American's TV and film development manager. "We're trying to make an actual change. When we take meetings, industry folks are often surprised at our approach to the creative process, our deep industry knowledge, and the connections we have to immigrant communities across the country." Meanwhile, several nonprofits are called upon to help shows develop strong stories from day one.

"We are meeting with the networks and then reaching out to them and letting them know we are available. Big partners for us are the unions [like] the Casting Society of America's Committee on Diversity, the Screen Writers Guild, and SAG-AFTRA," Jennifer Mizrahi, CEO and president of disability advocacy group RespectAbility, told Vox in 2017.

"I can tell you in a very general way that if you are seeing LGBTQ inclusion on television, there is a very, very strong likelihood that GLAAD played a part in it at some point," added Zeke Stokes, vice president of programs at GLAAD.

Nonprofits like these are crucial to helping writers tell stories that reflect the full spectrum of human experiences — and, in turn, helping audiences discover new ideas they might not otherwise encounter. The team at Define American seems hopeful that there's room for all kinds of stories, covering the tough issues as well as lighter, aspirational stories set in worlds that are, perhaps, kinder than the real one.

"We need really consistent reminders of where we've been, but having something aspirational . . . we need things that give us hope as well," Lindsay-Stewart said. "We're helping more people feel seen while also bringing new folks into this conversation who have never been part of it before."

With so many organizations helping to bring so many voices to the table, it's looking more hopeful than ever that we'll be seeing more nuanced and diverse stories — and that's as exciting creatively as it is culturally.

[thecrownnet]

Watch out Elisabeth Moss, as Claire Foy is a real threat to take away your Emmy crown. I just switched to Foy in my predictions and think she will win her first Emmy this year for playing Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s “The Crown.”

Foy sits in second place with 7/1 odds behind Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) at 8/15 and just ahead of Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”) at 15/2 according to our combined odds. And although none of our sage Emmy Experts have Foy in first place in their predictions, three of our Editors (Paul Sheehan, Marcus James Dixon and myself) have cottoned on to Foy being a more serious threat to dethrone Moss at next month’s Emmys.

Here’s five reasons why I think Foy might reign supreme on Emmy night:

1. Foy has won the last two SAG Awards in this category

Earlier this year, Foy took the drama TV actress category at the SAG Awards for the second year in a row. Moss was the only other nominee in her category that night who is also nominated at the Emmys this year. So it is clear that actors really love Foy’s performance in “The Crown,” enough to bypass favorite Moss and hand Foy a second consecutive trophy.

There is a significant overlap in membership between SAG/AFTRA and the actor’s branch of the TV academy. Yes, Foy lost to Moss at the Emmys last year, but that might be attributed to the groundswell of support for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which went on to effectively sweep on Emmy night, winning two acting prizes (for Moss and supporting player Ann Dowd), directing, writing and Best Drama Series. It might also be attributed to the noise around Moss never having won an Emmy after numerous attempts for her work on “Mad Men” and “Top of the Lake.”

This year, with Moss now an Emmy winner, a lot of that noise has gone away. If actors clearly love Foy, they might decide to hand her an Emmy to go with her two SAG Awards.

2. Is the second time a charm?

Sometimes, the Emmys are a little slow on the uptake. In recent years, we’ve seen a few sophomore winners in the drama categories. For example, Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”) lost Best Drama Actress in 2015 (her first nomination), but triumphed on her second go-round in 2016. In the actor race, Kyle Chandler (“Friday Night Lights”) lost in 2010 (his first nomination), but surprisingly won the following year.

We know “The Crown” has a lot of support at the Emmys. Last year it garnered 13 nominations overall, winning three (including for supporting actor John Lithgow). This year it held steady with 13 nods across the board, but it tellingly doubled its acting nominations from two to four, with Foy returning, adding supporting actress Vanessa Kirby and guest actor Matthew Goode, and Matt Smith replacing Lithgow in Best Drama Supporting Actor. The actors literally doubled-down for “The Crown.” Will some wins follow?

3. If episodes mean anything…

Back in the day, Emmy prognosticators carefully viewed and analyzed episodes submitted for Emmy consideration, knowing that episodes were the most important factor in determining who had the best chance of winning. That’s because the acting categories were judged by curated blue ribbon panels that judged performances on the merits of that single, all important episode. These days, episode entries are less important, as the acting categories are open to the membership, effectively rendering these races popularity contests. However, voters are still made aware of the episodes submitted for consideration, and these episodes are made available to voters.

This year, Foy submitted “Dear Mrs. Kennedy,” arguably the best episode of season two, revolving around US President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy‘s tour of Buckingham Palace. It is the perfect submission for Foy, as she demonstrates range, impact, screen time and empathy. The Queen feels threatened and vulnerable in some scenes, then takes charge on the world stage in other scenes, and ultimately connects with Jackie O via letter in the final scene, devastated at having just heard of the president’s assassination. If episodes still matter, this one is a dynamite submission for her, and will only help her cause when voters are checking off names on the ballot.

4. Best Drama Actress is a relatively strong field with no clear frontrunner

As we recently discussed in our slugfest (link above), you can make a very legitimate argument for all six contenders in this category. It is a real contest without a really obvious front runner. Moss, Maslany, Foy and Oh are all serious threats to take home the Emmy, as are Keri Russell with her third consecutive and final nom for “The Americans,” and Evan Rachel Wood, who returns for a second nom for her lauded work on “Westworld.”

With no clear leader, it might only take a few additional votes or a faction of support (such as, for example, a Netflix voting bloc) to tip a contender over the edge.

5. Is the last chance the best chance?

We know that the Emmys are generally not very sentimental. Emmy voters tend to fixate on their favorite shows and performers for years and years rather than awarding an actor or series because it’s their last chance to do so.

But there is some recent precedent in the drama acting categories where sentiment pushed an actor over the line. In 2014, the TV academy gave Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”) a fitting send off in the Best Drama Actor category. The following year in that very same category, Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”) received his final farewell hug after years of just missing out (the same as Chandler mentioned above).

Like fellow nominees Russell and Maslany, who also star in shows that have wrapped their final seasons, Foy might capitalize if voters realize that this is the last opportunity they have to award her for this role, as next season the entire cast, including Foy, are replaced with a new ensemble, and Olivia Colman takes over as the Queen.